The Julian had a 766 seat capacity that opened in 1909. The theater
housed vaudeville acts as well as silent film and talkies. According to a
contributor to Cinema Treasuresthis theater was the home of Scandinavian talking pictures until the beginning
of World War II when distribution of materials from Europe became a issue.

Ingrid Bergman (Swedish-American) apparently
performed at the Julian. I would assume the theater changed hands several times since the buildings demolition in 2005 when the building last housed a house of
worship. According
to another site web contributor a world class pipe organ was installed in 1924 – the
same basic design used by the Mormon Tabernacle in 1901.

Cinema Treasures does not have any useful information
on this movie house. The 1923 Sanborn Fire
Insurance Map has this location as a ‘filling station’. The 1894 Sanborn Fire
Insurance Map does not show a theater at that general location. My guess, the
theater did not survive that long.

The Sylvianear or on Sheffield

apparently 1914-15

This theater was apparently located near Sheffield Avenue and Diversey
Parkway according to Chicago Daily News classified section via Chicago Public
Library online search. I did no to see the theater imprint on either the 1894 or
1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps. Like the Stevens Theater listed above this
theater must not have had a long tenure.

The Claremont was located on North Clark Street north of Belmont. According to Cinema Treasures this theater opened during the 1910’s and closed by the end of World War II. In 1924 a Robert Moron Pipe Organ was installed in the theater for background music for the silent films. Their may have been a name/spelling change to this theater. According to a movie section of a 1916 Daily News the theater is spelled 'Clermont'.

The Keystone Theater operating under the Essaness theater
circuit apparently opened in 1913. These chain or circuit of theaters operated over 30 theaters by 1947. An Art-Deco façade was replace the original theater and renamed Mode
Theater. By the late 1950’s to the late 1960’s the theater was renamed again as the Festival that would show Spanish language films for a new audience.

a 1915 ad in the movie sectionwith several name changes & property owners

717-19 Sheridan Road per this 1923 Sanborn Fire Map

The 700 seat Pine Grove Theater opened ownership with the Alfred
Hamburger-Lubliner Trinz theater circuit. Architect J.E.O. Pridmore redesigned
the theater when it was renamed the Panorama
by 1927, when it was then acquired by the Essaness theater chain
according to Cinema Treasures. Once
again in 1929, the theater was renamed Little
Theatre. The name was returned to the Panorama
from 1932-1939. By about the late 1950's and with another name change to the
Essex, and then once again the changed names to be known as
the Guild - operated into the
early 1960's. The newly named Essex Theater, much
like the Guild, had a checkered history with the community. The theater was
located on a residential street with issues with its neighbors. The Guild was later demolished by 1963 to be later
replaced years later by a new type of apartment building called the 4+1- later to be renovated in 2010's.

The Chicago Tribune articles below tell the tale of
development along North Pine Grove including a 650 theater complex. The last
article is dated less than 2 months before the Great Depression of 1929.

The Chateau Theater entrance was located on Broadway north of Grace Street. The Flora Building (theater space within) was designed by August C. Willmanns and property owned by Russian born Albert Fuchs and operated by Ascher Brothers theater circuit.The building had several offices, a upstairs ballroom,
22 lanes of bowling, and 22 billiards tables that was next to Fuchs luxury apartment
building of the same name. In order to highlight this theater I must mention that the owner of the building also owned most of the property from Broadway to Rokeby (Fremont), Sheridan Road to Grace Street - see map above. Before converting his property to a series of buildings Mr. Fuch owned a greenhouse on Broadway near the Grace according to a 1894 Sanborn Fire Map which is show below. Mr. Fuch was a horticulturist by trade owning another greenhouse on the westside of Halsted Street north of Addison.

The planned development for the entire block 1922(the plan was completely realized)

If you look closely you will see the horseshoe roof of the theater along Grace Street. Broadway Avenue is to the left of image and Sheridan Road in the forefront. Across the street on Grace on the southwest corner of Halsted and Grace was the famous Bismarck-Marigold Gardens (Facebook). The planned development of the entire area did not happened due the Fuch's family desire to move to California by 1920's.

Becomes Vogue Theater in 1947

According to Diane Wasserman-Drell

'When I was young, (early 1950's) it cost 25 cents to go to
the Vogue Theatre and see a movie plus the cartoons in the beginning. Sometimes
they had double features. My brother always took me with him per my parents
request. It was a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. That should be Grace
Street on the right where that reddish/brownish building is. Edwards restaurant
was right near there, too on the east side of the street. My mother and I
walked everywhere up and down Broadway. We lived on Patterson Avenue, one block
north of Addison -- in-between Waveland and Addison. It was a great
neighborhood way back when. I've often regretted that my parents moved to
suburbia when I was about to turn 10 yrs. old. I loved Le Moyne School then,
too and it was amazing that Le Moyne was far ahead of the north suburban
schools back then. There was a large Woolworths store at the corner of Irving
Park and Broadway SE side of the street, and Edward's (great food) was in the
next block (east side of the street past Grace) to the north.'

A 1950 Sanborn Fire Map of the Area

this 1950 map indicates the planned development unfulfilledzoomed below from image above

A Gloria Swanson Movie at the Vogue 1931

The Flora Building in 1946

A Tavern in the Building

images - Ebay

One of the Several Shops that was located in the old Flora Building that included the theater and bowling alley

apparently once located along Broadway or Grace Street within the old theater building

The Fuch Family ResidenceThe family who owned theater had a residence in the apartment complex now part of the Chicago Park District on Sheridan Road west of Broadway

postcard - Chuckman CollectionThe actual location was on Sheridan Road just west of Broadway where Clarendon routes north and Broadway routes northwest. According to a 1923 Sanborn Fire Map these cluster of flats were indeed on West Sheridan Road

a 1909 advertisement - Chicago Public Library

a 1923 Sanborn Fire Map view in red east of alley

postcard - Chuckman CollectionMr. Fuchs & family left the floral business

and planned to lease his holdings including theFlora Building along with the theater in 1921The Man and Property - Albert Fuchs

The Family Moves West in 1921

Mr. Fuchs leases but not sells his properties 1927

In 1926 the theater space became a venue for burlesque entertainment. In 1930 Essaness theaters leased the building and apparently remodeled the interior. It was to be renamed TheVogue Theaterwith a change of the a newtype of venue in 1926

photo - Trolley Dodgerhighlights both the former Chateau Theater and Hotel

This park space once housed the Chateau Apartmentsa 1995 planned image of the park

and just south of the city park

By 2013 the once Fuch's planned development, turned into a SRO was purchased and renovated to a mix market-rate single occupancy apartment building. The high-rise in the background was the location of the Albert Fuchs' once Flora Building that once housed the Chateau/Vogue Theater.

The Vitagraph Theater was established by 1914 and sat
1000 patrons. In 1925 the theater was purchased by Lubliner & Trinz circuit
of theaters according the Cinema Treasure.

In the 1930's The old Belmont-Lincoln-Ashland shopping district of Lake
View had a new retailer located at 3149-53 N Lincoln Avenue called the Goldblatts Department Store. Goldblatts converted the old theater during the Great Depression
of 1929 and expanded south into the old theater space to 3133-41. In a matter of a few years another grand shopping experience would be located on Lincoln Avenue.

Sanborn Fire Maps of the Area

The general location of the theater along with a mention of the Lincoln-Hippodome Theater on Ashland in 1923

a zoomed view of the theater as 'Motion Pictures' in 1923

This 1950 map indicates the initial location of the store as it moved south to the old theater space

The Lincoln - Hippodrome was built in 1912 with an entrance address of 3162 N Lincoln Avenue. The theater was designed by a local architect named Robert C. Berlin. The theater's seating capacity is 1590 patrons in 1923. At the time it was one of the largest theaters in Chicago’s north-side. The Lincoln was built for W. A. Wieboldt, founder of the department store chain bearing his name that were once scattered all over Chicago including the old Lake View Belmont-Lincoln District. This building originally cost $3000,000. The word 'hippodrome' is sometimes used as a extravagant name for a modern circus; a theater used for various staged entertainments. The interior of this building must have seem enormous!

The Wieboldt Connectiontext image - Lake View Saga

A Playbill 1916via Chicago Public Library

While the exterior was a mixture of neoclassical and Renaissance styles, the interior was originally described at the time a 'Persian' and “Oriental” design. The theater building was one of the earliest larger-sized theaters in Chicago to be air-conditioned, and was noted for its excellent acoustics, then a cutting-edge technology with stylish decor. For most of the 1910's and 20's, the theater was part of the Orpheum theater circuit, and primarily used as was a vaudeville house, as well as silent movies. According to Cinema Treasures the theater was still operated
by the Orpheum Circuit by 1926. It wasn’t until later in the 1920’s and 1930’s
that the theater turned to a movie house exclusively. In 1930, when Ashland
Avenue was widened, the theater lost a small portion of its auditorium,
reducing seating capacity to about 300. The theater remained in operation until about
1950. In 1952, the theater building was gutted and transformed into a retail store.

photo - Cinema TreasuresAccording to Cinema Treasures, The Strand opened in 1914 and was located on 3033 N Lincoln Avenue near Wellington. The theater seated 699 patrons. By the 1940’s the theater had been renamed the City Theater, which apparently operated into the 1960’s

1923 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map.

a general view of the area in 1923with a zoomed view of this 1923 Sanborn Fire Map

Organic Theatre had a home in the Buckingham Theater 1977(click to enlarge article)

2016 Google Map Views

the entrance building on Clark Street still remains called the Buckingham Building. While the main theater has been replaced the memory of the theater remains above the garage door indicating the theater's name

The address of this theater was 3175 Broadway per map above with a seating capicity of 514 - built in 1914.

Cineplex-Odeon theater company gave the old Lake Shore
Theater a facade renovation in the 1980 and named it Broadway Cinema until the year
2000. According to Cinema Treasures due to high running costs on the aging building, the
Lake Shore Theater was closed on April 10, 2010, but was re-opened in November
2011 as The Laugh Factory - a venue for live comedic performances.

Saul Smaizys via Forgotten Chicago-Facebook

A testimonial

Jim Huffman on December 2, 2016

"I lived & grew up, in this neighborhood near Belmont
& Broadway from 1945 to 1970. [I] attended Nettelhorst grade school. I saw
many movies at the Lake Shore throughout that time period. Although small, it
was a very neat, well-kept theater, but without the ginger-bread, exterior had
an exterior art-deco motif back then. Curved smoothed metal siding, colors were
yellow & red. The front had a small independent 1-person ticket booth, now
removed. A small door in the rear of the booth provided access and to the front
theater doors behind. People could walk all the way around the booth, although
narrow about 3-foot wide passage. Movie posters along the sides. Originally had
greater seating, but I understand some seats were removed for more stage."

unknown source & date

1991 photo - Mekong.netIt was renamed the Broadway Cinema, because of its location on Broadway just south of Belmont Avenueand renamed once again

According to Cinema Treasures the Covent Garden Theater, opened in 1916 operated with the Lubliner & Trinz circuit. The theater originally capacity of 2,684 with 3 balconies - one of the
largest theaters in the Lake View/Lincoln Park area of Chicago with an entrance address of 2655 N Clark Street. It featured
vaudeville and stage shows as well as motion pictures. The theater was
remodeled in 1934 by the firm of Pereira & Pereira. Around the 1950’s, the
“Garden” portion of the theater’s name was dropped. The theater was later operated by the Balaban & Katz
chain.The theater was part of a complex which also included a hotel. As of 2016 the old hotel building & remains as an SRO - the theater long gutted.

a 2016 Google view indicates the gutting of the theater for an parking entrance and the parking lot below where the main theater once stood

Old Chicago
Neighborhood: Remembering Life in the 1940’s by Neil Samors and Michael
Williams

Read the comments from Living History of Illinois and Chicago-on Facebook via Jayne Hengl Kranc

This 1950 Sanborn Fire Map indicates the general area of the theater with a zoomed view below

This theater opened in 1924 designed in Spanish Baroque style by architect Edward Eichenbaum of the firm of Levy & Klein whose work also included the Granada in Rogers Park and the Marbro in Garfield Park. The theater was remodeled in an Art Deco style in the early 1930's with a seating capacity of 3,800 and an entrance address of 2816 N Clark Street - renamed the The Century, in honor of the Century of Progress World’s Fair that was held in Chicago in 1933.

In 1973 the theater was closed, the interior was completely gutted converted as multi-level shopping mall

according to Cinema Treasures

photo - Ken Vosburgh, Forgotten Chicago-Facebook

photo - Urainwan Dutkiewics, Forgotten Chicago-Facebook

photo - Cinema Treasures

2014 photo - unknown source

According to a 2013 DNAinfo article the Bai Century LLC, a joint venture of Israeli companies
based out of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., owns the property, according to the Cook
County Recorder of Deeds. The owners seek to replace the historic front of the
building at 2828 N. Clark St. with windows so that more retail or medical
offices could be put in, Tunney said he was told in a meeting. Since the
building is not land-marked, the city has little recourse against the change as
of 2014.

The Belmont Theater was one of the more popular north-side Chicago movie houses for it was surrounded by a bustling retail hub and was located close to public transportation near the intersection of Belmont, Ashland, and Lincoln Avenues. The theater opened in 1925 for the Lubliner & Trinz theater circuit and was taken over by the Balaban & Katz chain in 1930. The Belmont was designed by W.W. Ahlschlager, who was also the architect of the Roxy and Beacon Theatres in New York City. This 3200-plus seat palace was originally a venue for both live entertainment and movies, but later turned to movies only. It had a brief history as a bowling alley and later renovated into condos.

Sanborn Map Views of the Area

a 1950 Sanborn Fire Map view of the general areawith zoomed view below

In the mid 1960's the movie house was converted into a bowling alley until closing in the mid 1980's.

Text image from Hidden History of Ravenswood & Lake View by Patrick Butler

Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog

matchbook - Chuckman Collection

1963 advertisementDr. Jake's Bowling History BlogThe 1973 Fire

Only the facade could have been saved - Ebay

In 1996 a mixed condominium and retail complex were built on the site of the old Belmont Theater/Bowl with its interior gutted with the exterior preserved. According to Curb Chicago in 2012 the 7th floor penthouse was marketed for almost 500k. Apparently, the "spacious combined living/dining area, with exposed duct-work & rich hardwood, thrive in all the natural light. And with south and west exposures, it manages some pretty 'boss' views of the skyline from the roof top deck.

Ivanhoe Playhouse Theater on Clark Street 1920ish-1975

It began as a tavern-speakeasy and then to a nationally recognized playhouse by the 1966. This establishment was one of the first of its kind to blend a live theater performance with a leisurely homemade meal, hence called a 'playhouse'.

The Ivanhoe Theater takes its name from an notable novel now occupied by Binny’s that dates back to the 1920’s. Originally designed in an 'In-The-Round' configuration, the theater was opened as a commercial dinner/theater operation in 1966 that served as a showcase for director George Keathley that established a new type of theater called a playhouse. His string of successes included the world premiere of Tennessee Williams’ Out Cry and Status Quo Vadis, a comedy which ran for more than a year before transferring to Broadway District in New York with its young and unknown Chicago star, Bruce Boxleitner.

By October of the same year theater looking a bit chard from the outside but was back in business according to the Chicago Tribune via Chicago Public Library online section

Once known as the 'Seventh Wonder of Chicago' photo minus the statue above the door - unknown source

According to Performmink article dated 2000 "the days may be numbered for one of Chicago’s oldest, largest and most historic off-Loop venues, the Ivanhoe Theatre located at 750 W Wellington (corner of Wellington & Clark). According to the article the building would have been demolished within the next 12-18 months and replaced by condominiums in accordance to a proposal proposed by Chicago-based Atlas Development Corporation. A tentative agreement was reached between the Ivanhoe’s principal owner, Douglas Bragan, and Atlas president Steven Siegel for the sale of the 11,000 square foot building while keeping as much as the old theater facade as functionally possible".

2013 photo - Garry Albrecht Current interior that leads to the basement once referred to as the Catocombs The Catacombs - then and now

1940's - Chuckman Collection Sarfatty Associates reinforced the basement and keep the contiguity of the old catacombs.Ivanhoe Playhouse Commentary from Forgotten Chicago-Facebook

John Olson

Saw some shows there in the mid to late 70's. Martin Mull
and Flo and Eddie (aka the Turtles).

Bernie Biernacki

My parents went there on the 40’s and my wife and I ate
there twice, and even saw a play there in the 70’s. I think Bruce Boxlitner
(sp) was in it. My dad always talked about "riding down into the
catacombs."

Bob Mucci

I remember the fake elevator that made it seem you went
down a hundred feet. But the building is a Binny's booze emporium now.

Yes, and there was a little window and they had a scroll of a brick wall that kept running real fast behind the window to make you think you were descending far and fast.

Bernie Biernacki

Bob, I remember the elevator well. You stepped into it
and when the door closed it started shaking and shuddering. When it stopped
another door open you were in the catacombs - just next to where you entered
the "elevator".

Stan Barker

Bernie, the fake elevator gimmick goes back to a
"Subterranean Theater" that was proposed, never built, during the
1893 World's Fair. In the mid-1960s, when I was a kid, that gimmick was used at
a "Gold Mine" attraction at Fort Dells amusement park in Wisconsin
Dells. I never went to the Ivanhoe... closest I got was buying rickets to the
Sex Pistols who were supposed to play there, New Year's Eve 1977. They broke up
and cancelled their tour before they got to Chicago. I cashed my ticket back
in. My old girlfriend hung on to hers, still has it - Worth some money now.

As a kid we went there. When a certain paving stone was
stepped on a air driven dummy would rear up to scare you. Spooky, but fun.

Paul Igasaki

Yes. Went with my parents to see a play there in the
seventies. Remember the seats around the stage and a bedroom scene that my
parents didn't expect me to see.

Ken Dietz

Went there several times in the 70's to see music
acts---The Four Seasons being one of them. The Sex Pistols were scheduled to
play there but they broke up before the scheduled date. The Ivanhoe was going
to remove all the seats just for that show.

Two Ton also had a puppet on his show by the name of 'Bubbles'. Two Ton would sing "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and the puppet would appear. I think the set of his show had a pirates theme.

Marcey Wadas Crylen

Went to the Ivanhoe for dinner after a Christmas dance at
DePaul and met Two Ton Baker!

Nancy Kesseler Adams

Our favorite as children was Two Ton Baker. We saw him in
person once - a charming man who truly loved children. There is a link
somewhere (I'll check) with the songs he sang. It's a nice site. Brings back
memories!

Neighborhood of Buena Park, Community of Uptownalong Sheridan Road north of Irving Park Road1927-1961

Theatre History of America via Explore Chicago

Across the street and yards away from Irving Park Road on
Sheridan Road in the community of Buena Park and currently the official
neighborhood of Uptown their was this theater that was built in 1927. The seating capacity of this theater was 2540. The neighborhood of Uptown was the home a
several grand theaters of the early 20th century.

the general area of this theater per this 1950 Sanborn Fire Map with a zoomed view of it below

The grand buildings of Chicago's theaters that once sparkled throughout the city are credited by the insight and influence of A.J. Balaban, Barney Balaban, Sam Katz, and Morris Katz who formed the Balaban & Katz Theatre Corporation in 1925. This group planned theaters like the Uptown, Diversey, Pantheon, Belmont, Rivera, among others.

'Once one of the finest theaters in the country, the Sheridan Theatre now serves as a premier playhouse for vandals, the homeless, and the curious. The front doors now stand open for months at a time, even though the theater has been closed for years. Reckless renovation, fires, and public dumping have all but destroyed the building's original magnificence. There were plans to resuscitate it a few years ago, but strangely enough they were scuttled by the city. Now two organizations have submitted competing renovation proposals to the city, and if officials think one of them is feasible, the street people may finally have to move out.' Read the entire Reader article with the link above.

According to Cristal Garica the terra cotta on the pediment of the theater sold for $199,000 by the new owners, Anshe Emet Synagogue, in the 1950's.

'Atmospheric theaters gained popularity in the 1920's, and
are distinguished as an architectural style that used theater design to extend
the cinematic experience, to imaginatively transport the audience with the
decor. a plain dome gave space for projections of clouds, simulating the night
sky with twinkling "star lights," and walls were decorated to appear
as an exotic locale or an outdoor space.' Read/view more ...

The bldg. 51 museum houses a large repository of ornament
and artifacts representing some of Chicago's finest depression-era "movie
palaces" that have succumbed to demolition or short-sighted alterations
and/or renovations where ornament was removed or rescued. Read/view more...

According to Uptown Update via the Chicago Tribune another attempt to save the Uptown Theater from the wrecking ball was announced in 2018. Will this time work?? While this theater is not located in Lake View I thought a honorable mention was due to its civic significance and former beauty.

Narrative & Navigation

This has been a passion of mine for several years. This passion began with a simple inquiry of an ornate gate that surrounds a parking lot on my street. This singular inquiry lead me to learn everything I could online about the history of my neighborhood - Lake View, one of the 77 neighborhoods within the City of Chicago. Consider this topical blog as an online library of information for educators like myself who intend to teach others about this historical & robust corner of Chicago. I hope you enjoy the read and add any type of comments at the end of each post. I have a Facebook presence called 'LakeView Historical'.